Boston Bruins' Reilly Smith (18) shoots wide of Buffalo Sabres' Matt Hackett (31) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, Saturday, April 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Sabres Decimated By Injuries in 4-1 Loss in Boston

Dan Cave

Matt Hackett was one of five Sabres to leave Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Bruins with an injury, but his appeared to be the most serious of them all. The Buffalo netminder was taken off on a stretcher after suffering a gruesome leg injury.

In addition to Hackett, Chris Stewart, Brian Flynn, Matt D'Agostini and Christian Ehrhoff headed to the dressing room early. Jake McCabe and John Scott also headed to the dressing room before the final horn, but they were on the receiving end of misconducts. McCabe was tossed in the third period after leveling Daniel Paille with what looked to be a clean hit. Paille was groggy when trying to get back on his feet and McCabe was slapped with an interference major and a game misconduct. Scott was ejected along with Zdeno Chara late in the game after the two were jawing at each other.

The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals late in the opening period. Gregory Campbell struck first, redirecting a Jordan Caron pass into the Buffalo net. About a minute and a half later, David Krejci put Boston up by two. The puck bounced off the backboard and Krejci backhanded the rebound over Hackett for his 18th of the season.

Patrice Bergeron made it 3-0 at 11:43 of the second, one-timing a Brad Marchand pass from the near faceoff circle. The Sabres got on the board just a little over two minutes later on Cody Hodgson's 20th. Marcus Foligno found Hodgson in front of the Bruins' net and Hodgson lifted a backhand shot into the net, making it 3-1.

Hackett went down about midway through the final period after Torey Krug was tripped up by Jamie McBain, landing on Hackett's outstretched right leg. The Buffalo netminder stayed down in obvious pain and was eventually taken off the ice on a stretcher. Hackett's injury cleared the way for Connor Knapp to make his NHL debut, but it didn't take long for Knapp to surrender his first NHL goal. Krejci's power play shot boomed off the back wall, deflected off Knapp's left skate and into the net, putting Boston ahead 4-1.

Knapp finished with six saves on seven shots in his first-ever NHL action. Hackett stopped 20 shots before his injury. The win wrapped up the Presidents' Trophy for the Bruins, who are now guaranteed home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Sabres finish their season tomorrow at First Niagara Center at 5 p.m. Hear the call on WGR 550 and the Buffalo Sabres Radio Network.